An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag, is stored in a vehicle in a folded condition at a location adjacent to the vehicle occupant compartment. The air bag is part of an apparatus which further includes a crash sensor and an inflator. The crash sensor senses vehicle conditions that indicate the occurrence of a crash. When the crash sensor senses a crash-indicating condition of at least a specified level, the inflator is actuated. The inflator then emits inflation fluid which unfolds and inflates the air bag into the vehicle occupant compartment to help restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle.
In addition to the air bag and the inflator, the apparatus typically includes a reaction structure and a retainer ring. The reaction structure supports the inflator and the air bag on a part of the vehicle from which the air bag is to be deployed into the vehicle occupant compartment. That part of the vehicle could be the steering wheel, the instrument panel, a door, the roof, a seat, or any other suitable vehicle part.
The retainer ring surrounds the inflator. An edge portion of the air bag also surrounds the inflator. A plurality of fasteners clamp the edge portion of the air bag between the retainer ring and the reaction structure. When the inflation fluid emitted from the inflator flows into the air bag to unfold and inflate the air bag, the retainer ring and the fasteners hold the edge portion of the air bag from being pulled away from the reaction structure by the force of the inflation fluid pressure in the air bag.